Best of

the Twin Cities

Best Music Video Director

Adam J. Dunn

In his stark music video series, Lights and a Backdrop (LAAB), Adam J. Dunn has crafted a stylish collection of work that stands apart from big-budget videos. Instead, his videos favor pieces that are more intimate and emotional. Filmed in a minimalist setting, with just lighting and a plain background to illuminate the artists, Dunn's clips put the focus on the musicians and the songs themselves, letting the material do much of the heavy lifting. By paring music videos down to their essence, he allows the artists to shine while doing away with much of the superfluous nature of modern-day music videos. In addition to his gorgeous LAAB work, Dunn has also directed proper, full-scale music videos for Dessa, Atmosphere, Allan Kingdom, and a litany of independent local bands and artists, helping them spread their underground songs to the masses. Dunn's keen artistic eye and impressive body of work have firmly established the director as one of the best the Twin Cities has to offer.